PROVIDENCE — A memo went out to employees at the state-run Eleanor Slater Hospital on Friday telling them they can work even if they have tested positive for COVID, if there is a staffing crisis. 

Under those circumstances, the memo advised the employees that "those who are exposed or have a positive Covid test but are asymptomatic" can work "in crisis situations for staffing," as long as they wear N95 masks. 

The Rhode Island Department of Health has in recent days also opened that same last-resort, crisis-staffing option to COVID-19 infected health-care personnel at hospitals and skilled nursing homes who are "mildly symptomatic." 

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2022/01/01/rhode-island-heathcare-workers-covid-positive-permitted-facility-staffing-crisis/9066882002/

Oh the irony. And they all wear PPE anyway.

And it's not just in RI. Here is a nurse from Buffalo NY talking about what is occurring in relation to infected health care workers where she works.

https://twitter.com/RastaRedpill/status/1476685893222207489

On the other side of the coin people are getting sacked for refusing to spread the virus, I know a care worker that refused to go into work as her husband and daughter had covid. My sister also has got fired a week before Christmas as she took my nephew out of school due to high cases and her employer wasn't understanding... I can see people will be afraid to say they have covid or been in contact as they will not be protected..

I think everyone will end up not getting treated well. I think everyone will realise that a job is just a job and that more matters. 

.Until this week, a positive test meant you should stay home for 10 days to avoid infecting others. Now, those who don't have symptoms after five days can go back to their regular activities as long as they wear a mask, according to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the change was also motivated by economic and societal concerns."We can't take science in a vacuum. We have to put science in the context of how it can be implemented in a functional society."

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/28/1068632200/cdc-covid-guidelines-testing

Where was that vacuum when the mandates she supported and pushed fired nurses who refused to be vaxxed? Desperation and panic mode initiated and created by those like her and Bidum.

A-I wrote: Wonder where all that moral high ground and "science" went????? Disgusting to say the least, choke on it you SOB's

Because it so bears saying.

Well this is interesting on several levels.

MEMO

To:  El Camino Health Medical Staff
From: Mark Adams CMO
Subject: COVID-19 Update
Date:  January 6, 2022

Colleagues:

We are now in the midst of a COVID-19 surge driven by the Omicron variant.  

…

Currently, 57% of our hospitalized COVID patients are fully vaccinated.  Most have underlying medical conditions such as immunocompromised.   Only one patient is on a ventilator which is consistent with the evidence that the Omicron variant is more contagious but less virulent.  Unlike during previous surges, our biggest challenge this time is not the patients but staffing.  We are seeing many community acquired infections in our employees making it difficult to fully staff the hospitals.  To help maintain adequate staffing and still maintain a safe environment for patients we have modified our isolation and quarantine policies to reflect the differences in the behavior of the Omicron variant.  Anyone who is exposed but asymptomatic can continue to work unless symptoms develop without the need for testing.   Anyone who becomes symptomatic and tests positive must isolate for 5 days then if asymptomatic for 24 hours may return to work without testing.  For physicians who are symptomatic but need to work, we continue to offer special testing.  The physician can contact the house supervisor (AHM) who will bring a test kit to the car in the parking lot, the physician swabs themselves, the AHM then delivers the test to the lab and provides the rapid test result to the waiting physician.  This is only for symptomatic must work situations.  (Asymptomatic testing is now in short supply so cannot always be readily available.)

SCC public health has issued a new order that potentially might cripple our ability to provide patient care.  This is the only county in CA that is mandating that no health care worker (HCW) that is not boosted or has an approved exemption from vaccination can continue to work after January 24.  We believe this is an overreach and is not consistent with the evolution of the effects of the Omicron variant.  Hopefully, this will be reconsidered.

Because of the potential for a continued increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and further staffing shortages we may need to reduce/restrict elective procedures at our facilities.  We are monitoring this on a day to day basis but please be prepared that this could be necessary in the near short term.  We will keep you updated on that possibility.

We do have a limited supply of sotrovimab for IV infusion for high risk patients that test positive to prevent worsening symptoms.  This is administered in the ED.   Paxlovid distribution will be controlled by the state and has not yet been released.

The bottom line is that the “pandemic” is changing to “endemic” so will most likely be with us for an extended period of time.  This means that while it is no longer an emergency or crisis it is something that we must adapt to and accept as a regular part of our health care business.

Mark Adams, MD, FACS
Chief Medical Officer, Administration Department
2500 Grant Rd, Mountain View, CA 94040

https://stevekirsch.substack.com/p/el-camino-hospital-cmo-admits-that